QA/G-4HW provides guidance on applying the Data Quality Objectives (DQO) process to hazardous waste site investigations. The guidance presents a step-by-step description of the DQO process and its application to sampling designs for environmental remediation and waste management activities.

The introduction to the document provides an overview for the target audience emphasizing the importance of systematic planning for geospatial data projects and its relationship to the Agency’s Quality System. The second chapter delineates the EPA policies on QA Project Plans. The third chapter discusses how QA Project Plan elements can be applied to geospatial data projects. The fourth chapter describes approaches to QA Project Plan elements for a geospatial module portion of a complex multi-organization project in risk assessment modeling as well as less complicated projects for a routine global positioning survey and creating a cartographic product from a spreadsheet to illustrate application of the graded approach discussed in Chapter 1.

General guidance to organizations on assessing data quality criteria and performance specifications for decision making. G-9R is non-technical document and shows a reviewer what constitutes an appropriate Data Quality Assessment (DQA), and how to recognize situations or reports where a DQA has been conducted.

QA/G-9D is a software package that implements the statistical methods described in QA/G-9. DataQUEST provides a quick and easy means for managers, analysts, or those unfamiliar with standard statistical packages to review data and verify assumptions on those data.

Final Version: EPA/600/R-96/085, December 1997

Note: this document is no longer available. For links to other free software for performing data quality assessments, see Quality Related Resources - Software. EPA has a SAS site license for EPA employees - for information, email: <quality@epa.gov>

Requirements Documents (identified as QA/R-x) will also be the subject of chapters in the EPA Quality Manual for Environmental Programs. The Quality Manual requirements will apply to EPA Program Offices, Regions, and ORD laboratories. The QA/R-x versions will apply to EPA contractors and organizations receiving financial assistance from EPA (e.g., grants, cooperative agreements, and inter-agency agreements). They also will be issued as policy documents under the signature of the AA/OEI.

Guidance Documents (identified as QA/G-x) will be published as OEI reports after the appropriate peer and policy reviews and issued under the signature of the AA/OEI.

Other EPA Program and Region QA-Related Documents

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The Annual Report/Work Plan summarizes the quality assurance activities that Region 10 has conducted over the past year and projects the QA needs for the upcoming year. This report is sent to the Quality Assurance Management Staff (QAMS) for use in preparation of the Agency's annual quality assurance report.

QA/G-4D is a PC-based software package designed to determine the feasibility of data quality objectives defined using the Data Quality Objectives (DQO) process. The software supplements the guidance provided in EPA QA/G-4. The previous DOS-based software has been replaced with a Windows-based software program.

QA/R-5 defines the requirements and specifications for QA Project Plans (QAPPs) prepared for activities conducted by or funded by EPA. This document has been finalized and replaces QAMS-005/80. R-5 parallels the implementation requirements for QAPPs contained in the EPA Quality Manual for Environmental Programs (EPA Order 5360, July 1998), an internal policy manual.

The introduction to the document provides an overview for the target audience emphasizing the importance of systematic planning for geospatial data projects and its relationship to the Agency’s Quality System. The second chapter delineates the EPA policies on QA Project Plans. The third chapter discusses how QA Project Plan elements can be applied to geospatial data projects. The fourth chapter describes approaches to QA Project Plan elements for a geospatial module portion of a complex multi-organization project in risk assessment modeling as well as less complicated projects for a routine global positioning survey and creating a cartographic product from a spreadsheet to illustrate application of the graded approach discussed in Chapter 1.

QA/G-5i will provide guidance on data quality indicators (DQIs), including the PARRC parameters (i.e., precision, accuracy, reproducibility, representativeness, and comparability) and how they fit into the implementation of the DQO process. The guidance discusses the role of DQIs in sampling and analytical measurements.

Peer review of this document is complete. A final version has been drafted but has not been released as yet. Target date: Unknown.

QA/G-4D is a PC-based software package designed to determine the feasibility of data quality objectives defined using the Data Quality Objectives (DQO) process. The software supplements the guidance provided in EPA QA/G-4. The previous DOS-based software has been replaced with a Windows-based software program.